Just trying to figure out what could make it so heavy. I was reading an article on the AWD Volvo S-60 in another magazine, and the car weighs 3200 lbs. Its a 4 door all wheel drive, is 10 inches longer, 5 inches taller and 1/2 inch narrower than the Z, yet weighs virtually the same.

 

Muscle weighs more than fat !

 

Most 6cyl cars w/ strong chasis and sport suspensions will weight in this range. 911, M3, NSX.

 

I remember reading that because they decided to go hatchback, the suspension engineers hadto use more bracing.

 

 

The M3 weighs over 3400 lbs and the M5 weighs over 4000! My MR2T weighed 2860 lbs and it is very small; wheelbase 94.2 inches, 48.8" tall and only 164.2" long but a very strong car structurally. Most small cars, including sedans its size, weighed as much as 400 lbs less.

The Z is a much larger car than many 2 seater sports cars and its power to weight ratio is quite good. The Corvette is an anomaly at 3200 lbs since its bigger than many, but its construction of plastics, aluminum and wood, yes, wood(in the side frame rails) account for much of its lightness.

In my opinion, the Z is built to last and perform at a high level and 3200 lbs is just right. Superlight cars are problematical among our SUVs and trucks. Give me a robust sports car anytime. Check out the weights on Ferraris sometime, you will be surprised.

Boomer
BR/FR/AT

 

also, there's more empty space in your average sedan than the Z.

 

My Type R only weighs 2550, and dimensionally, it is very similar in size, and it has lots of extra braces, etc. I've sort of been wondering the same thing. I think a sizeable difference is the engine. The VQ is all aluminum, but I think there's a lot more mass to it than a little inline 4. Also, my R is stripped out...no AC, no sound deadening, nothing, and it's from the factory that way. S2000 is somewhere int he 2800+ lb category...again, small inline 4 engine. I guess when I heard they were trying to get the Z lightweight, I was envisioning around 3000-3100 lbs. Then again, the NSX is all aluminum, and it weighs almost 3000. It's tough to compare these things!

 

I thought the NSX weighted slightly over 3000lbs (at least the older ones)???

 

NSX's weigh about 3200 lbs, 50lbs HEAVIER than a Z06 Vette. My MR2 Spyder weighs in at 2200 lbs. I think that makes it the lightest production car sold in the US right now, but I could be mistaken. How much do those Chevy Metros weigh?

 

Raceboy...official stats here for NSX>
http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Technical/GeneralSpecs.htm

Looks like 3069 lbs for the coupe 3164 for the T Top. (manual tranny models).

I think I was thinking of the R version...just watched The Type R Legend Best Motoring vid last night.

 

Just a slight clarification - the frame rails of the C5 Corvette are made of hydroformed steel. Portions of the floor pan (that supporting seats) is made of a balsa wood sandwich, with composite layers outside and the wood inside - strong and lightweight. There is no wood in the frame rails.

The C5 Corvette chassis is quite an innovative engineering feat in my book. However, it is not shared with any other car, so I suspect that accounts for a portion of the price differential.

My '90 300ZX was a strong car - I appreciated the 3200lb chassis when it submarined under a Maxima and lifted it up on the hood of the car. The only damage, aside of the bodywork, was one suspension piece.

 

I have also been surprised by the weight. Some other numbers, for comparison:

WRX 3085 lbs
Mustang GT 3241 lbs

Now the mustang is the one that gets me. Other than the American vs Foreign stigma, I see this as the Z's closest competitor in price, weight, size, hp, etc. The mustang has a V-8, back seat, and steel driveshaft. One of the complaints is their weight. My buddy with a cobra replaced his driveshaft with an alluminum one, and dropped 30 lbs. He takes out his back seat for track days, and it weighs in at 65 lbs. The Z has a light driveshaft, no back seat, and a six cylinder, I figured the weight difference would be greater......

The vettes are heavy-ish, but they pack a much larger engine.

 

I stand corrected. Its been a while since I read about the Vette.

Boomer

 

The Mustang GT has a live axle, and weighs3241 lbs; the SVT has an independent one, it weighs 3665 lbs. Live axles weigh more in the cases I've seen than independent ones.

Boomer

 

Someone with more technical experience than me, needs to do that. How about you, VQ?

Boomer

 

The SVT cobra had to go to a cast iron block for extra strength, this plus the supercharger add like 250 pounds. Next is the six speed tranny heavier thana 5 speed, larger wheels and brakes. the independent suspension probably did save some weight.

But I'd rather go for a Z06 more HP and torque but like 600 lbs lighter (If I was going american)

 

My first car was 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS Turbo. According to msn carpoint, it weighs in at 2745 lbs. That is not its true weight. The exact weight of the car was 2920 lbs (without spare tire, no sound proof material, and no back seats, no cruise control , no ABS, no automatic rail seatbell system, and one racing seat -17lbs). How do I know? I went to a weighing station where I used to work and they weighed for me.


When I get my car, I will weigh it to see it is really around 3197 lbs (Enthusiast). I really doubt it though.

 

Some basic descriptions:

Live Axle

Indepedent Suspension

JD